On Solving the Jewish Question (May 1941)

Shortly before the invasion of the Soviet Union, Walter Groẞ, the head of the Nazi Party's Racial Policy Office, wrote an article titled “On Solving the Jewish Question.” His proposed solution is to expel all Jews from Europe, though he makes no suggestion as to where they should be sent.

A Nazi View of America in 1943

I sometimes come across things that aren’t worth adding as a page on the German Propaganda Archive, but may interest people. This cartoon comes from Signal (2nd May issue 1943), an illustrated German magazine that appeared in over twenty languages during WWII. It makes the standard Nazi argument that the United States idolized technology and eliminated all individuality.

The text says: “The person is also ‘standardized’: Europeans also value technological progress as long as does not become their idol That is what America does. One eats from tin cans, one wears standardized shirts, standardized hats, standardized suits. One also thinks in standardized ways. American culture is no longer civilized.

This is how the standard American looks to Europeans, who value and preserve the variety of their cultures.”

Goebbels Feels Sorry for Himself

In July 1943 Goebbels wrote an article titled "Does the Government Know about That." The article suggests that people who wonder if the government knows what is going on greatly underestimate the German leadership. Goebbels says that he works day and night serving Germany. People should appreciate him.

Goebbels on Victory (March 1942)

On the fourth anniversary of Hitler’s takeover of Austria, Goebbels gave a speech in Vienna on “Victory at Any Price.” It was after the first winter of the war with the Soviet Union. Goebbels expresses optimism and congratulates the Viennese on their sacrifices for the Reich.

Report from Fortress Breslau (March 1945)

I’ve added a report of a speech by Gauleiter Karl Hanke, delivered shortly before the Russians reached the city. Hanke provides the usual Nazi themes of resistence whatever the odds.

Robert Ley Tries to Build Hope (January 1945)

Robert Ley was one of the less capable Nazi propagandists. Today I add an article titled “Lippe!,” one of his last articles, dated 18 January 1945. With no good arguments for victory left, he resorts to a standard Nazi argument: since the Nazis had overcome difficulties in the past, they would again in the present.

Last Speech by Gauleiter Hofer (1945)

I have added the last speech by Gauleiter Franz Hofer of Tyrolia and Voralberg, delivered over the radio on 30 April 1945. A few days later he was captured by the Allies. After a lively legal set of proceedings, he lived a long life as an unrepentant Nazi.

Völkischer Beobachter Front Pages

I've gotten a start on a long-term project: Posting the front pages of the Völkischer Beobachter, the Nazi Party’s daily newspaper, for the war years. It is an interesting way to follow the trajectory of the war, beginning with victories in Poland and ending in disaster.

Since there are 1500 or so issues this will take me a while, but if you check the page occasionally new months will be added.

A German Cartoon during the Blitz

Every now and then I come across something I don't add to the German Propaganda Archive, but is worth noting. Today it was a cartoon from the Völkischer Beobachter of 8 September, 1940: the height of the Battle of Britain. The Germans were optimistic, having no idea that far worse would descend on them.

New Music above the Parliament of Westminster

Goebbels is Optimistic (March 1945)

I’m interested in the propaganda of the last days of Nazi Germany. What does one say when there is nothing good to say? Today I add parts of a Goebbels speech of 10 March 1945. The Nazis had recaptured the city of Lauban from the Russians, and Goebbels visited the area, giving a speech in the nearby city of Görlitz. His dubious argument was that it proved that the course of the war could still be changed.

The Big Lie in 1945

I have added a rather mediocre article by Helmut Sündermann, a high official in the Nazi Party press department. The title is what attracted by interest: “The Big Lie.” In this case, Sündermann’s claim is that the Allies are using the “big lie” to falsely accuse Germany of being responsible for the war, when in fact he says it has only fought for its self-preservation. The Allies are the warmongers. Given the date, 21 January 1945, it is a weak effort. Given that Germany was being driven back on all fronts, it hardly seemed useful to argue that Germany’s cause was just.

Blacks in Central Europe

One of the pleasures of my archive is finding out how it is useful to others. Recently, some illustrations from my site were used for an interesting project on Black Central Europe. The site is worth a look.

Goebbels’s Penultimate Speech

 Goebbels delivered his penultimate speech over the radio on 28 February 1945, which I am adding today.  His final speech was on 19 April on the occasion of Hitler’s birthday. 

The military situation was grim. The Soviets were charging in from the east, the Americans and British from the west. Goebbels had no good news to give, as he commented privately in his diaries.  He was forced to resort to what Earnest Bramsted called the “lure of historical parallels.” If Frederick the great had done it then, Germany could to it in 1945.

Last Call to Resist in Vienna (1945)

 For the last few months of World War II the main theme of Nazi propaganda was that if Germans kept fighting, their loyalty and bravery would be crowned with victory.  That began to look thin as time went on.  Today I add an article dated 3 April 1945 that suggested without too much confidence that victory was still possible, but the basic theme was that Vienna was a lost cause, so the Viennese may as well die fighting.

Goebbels on British Propaganda (April 1941)

 In April 1941 the war was looking good from the Nazi perspective.  Goebbels published the article I am adding today that gloated over the failures of British propaganda.

Goebbels mentions a British Ministry of Information campaign on the theme “How Not to Do It.” I’ve tried to chase down that campaign, with limited success. The MoI did began a campaign in June 1941 with the theme “Mend and make do.” Professor David Welch tells me that one element of that campaign was advice on “How not to do this,” which is close to the theme Goebbels provides.  Perhaps information on the campaign was released before it began?

If anyone has more information I would surely appreciate it.

Nazi Propaganda Guidelines in January 1944

I’ve had a long interest in the lower levels of the Nazi propaganda system.  It had tentacles reaching down to the neighborhood level.  These propagandists needed to be instructed.  The Reichsring für nationalsozialistische Propaganda und Volksaufklärung was the subsection of the party propaganda office responsible for that.  Today I’m adding the January 1944 newsletter for the lower Danube area.

 

It discusses Allied bombing, street collections for the party charity, occupational choices for the youth, and more.

Nazi Satire about the USA (1943)

In 1943 the Nazi party’s illustrated magazine ran a series of back page cartoons titled “The Latest from God’s Own Country” satirizing the United States.  I find them interesting, and may add a page of them one of these days.  Meanwhile, here is an example from the Illustrierter Beobachter in March 1943.

The occasion was a report from the New York Times that Christ Episcopal Church in St. Joseph had turned itself into a nightclub for the youth. At the bar, a gentleman says “He would be happy if we occasionally sang a pious hymn.  Let’s do him that favor.”  At the bottom, the priest is praying under pictures of FDR and Stalin: “Dear God, give the President and above all Comrade Stalin the strength to clobber the Nazis! And I thank you from the depths of my heart for the great success of our night club! I can protect my sheep from evil and even make a few dollars.” The woman talking to the deacon says: “You know, Deacon, I have nothing against the nighttime activities here —there must be propaganda, I know — but this is the second time I found a bra underneath the pew during morning prayers — that is going a bit too far.”

The Battle of Midway

Germany coverage of the war in the Pacific was never very good.  It depended on Japanese information — which was often unreasonably optimistic.

Today’s addition is an article on the Battle of Midway, which reports that the Japanese had lost one carrier and had a second damaged (the actual number was four), and that the Americans had also lost two (one in reality). The significant news in German eyes was that Japan had occupied several insignificant islands in the Aleutian chain.

Nazi Analysis of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor came as a pleasant surprise to the Nazis, who had not been told in advance of Japan’s plans.  Today I’m adding the first reactions in the Nazi Party’s daily newspaper to the war’s extension.

The argument is that Roosevelt has gotten the war he wanted, but not when it wanted it.  As a tool of the Jews, he was planning to deal with Japan, but Japan acted first.

By the way, I got a number of requests to a recent post looking for suggestions of things to add, and I will get to some of them as time permits.

Premature Nazi Claims of Victory over the Soviet Union (1941)

Goebbels preferred to avoid claiming victory until there actually was one to claim, realizing that building up hopes only to dash them made for poor propaganda. One of his competitors in the Nazi system, Press Chief Otto Dietrich, was less cautious. In early October Dietrich ordered the press to claim the Soviet Union had been so badly mauled by the ongoing German offensive as to assure its defeat. The result was this front page of the Völkischer Beobachter, the official party daily newspaper. Today I am adding a translation of the article claiming victory.

Other German newspapers followed suit.  Before  long, it became evident that however badly the Soviets had been defeated, they were not yet out of the war.   It was still more than a year away from the German defeat at Stalingrad, perhaps the major turning point of the war.